Board of Directors
The role of the Board is to set the strategic direction of AIDA and agree on the focus areas of our policy, research and membership engagement. The Board comprises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical professionals and one Indigenous medical student, elected from the membership. Their professional expertise and experience forms the work that we do as an organisation.
Dr Olivia O'Donoghue
BIO
Dr Olivia O’Donoghue is a Yankunytjatjara and Narungga woman, GP, medical educator and national leader in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and medical education. A Fellow of the RACGP, she lives and works on Kaurna Country.
Olivia is passionate about creating culturally aligned and supportive pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors, while strengthening the capability of the broader training and health systems to provide culturally responsive and equitable outcomes. Her work is grounded in the belief that strong relationships, cultural leadership and self-determination are central to improving health outcomes and transforming medical education.
Over the past decade, Olivia has combined clinical general practice with medical education, working across urban, rural and remote settings, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and six years with Northern Territory General Practice Education. From 2019 to 2025, she served as Lead Medical Educator for the Indigenous General Practice Trainee Network (IGPTN), supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GP and rural generalist trainees through mentorship, cultural connection, advocacy and exam preparation.
Olivia has held several national leadership roles with the RACGP, including becoming the College’s first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Censor in 2020 and, since 2023, serving as National Clinical Head of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Training. Through these roles she has helped shape national approaches to culturally safe education, assessment and training, while championing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership within the profession.
A long-standing member of the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA), Olivia has served on the Board across multiple terms and was elected President-Elect in 2024. She is deeply committed to AIDA, its members and its role in fostering connection, leadership and a strong collective voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors. Through her leadership, Olivia is passionate about strengthening opportunities for members to connect, support one another and influence the future of medicine, medical education and health policy. She is committed to supporting the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors and advocating for a health system that reflects the strengths, knowledges and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Outside work, Olivia enjoys travelling, connecting with Country, immersive cultural experiences, sewing, cooking, and spending time with family and her much-loved dog.
Dr Alicia Veasey
BIO
Dr Alicia Veasey is a proud Zenadth Kes woman, born and raised on the mainland. She is an Obstetrician & Gynaecologist with a subspecialty fellowship in Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology. Dr Veasey currently lives on Bundjalung Country, and practices on Widjabul Wia-bal Country at Lismore Base Hospital.
Through Gullidala, a sovereign Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health collective and consultancy, Alicia works to elevate First Nations Peoples lived, cultural and professional expertise as foundational to health policy, program and system design. Building on her Master of Public Health, Master of Health Management, and an AFRACMA, Alicia has deepened her expertise in Indigenous leadership and Indigenous centred & led health system reform through Global Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity, including completion of Master of Social Change Leadership, as well as a 2025 Churchill Fellowship.
Alicia also serves as Board Member of the ACSQHC, NIHLA Representative to the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Collaboration and provides hospital systems perspectives for the DHDA’s First Nations Health Governance Group.
Alicia has a long history with AIDA, first serving as Student Director and again as a non-executive Director as a prevocational doctor. Rejoining the AIDA Board in 2024, Alicia is proud to continue advocating for the leadership, cultural authority, and the powerful systemic impact of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors.
Mr Andrew Gosbell
BIO
Andrew is an Advisor to the associations and charities sector. He provides advice, support and mentoring to boards, senior executives and professional teams of for-purpose organisations on governance, strategy, planning, advocacy and policy development, project management and funding opportunities.
Dr Gosbell’s previous executive roles involved more than 15 years in senior executive and CEO positions with medical colleges and peak associations. This included as the CEO of General Practice Registrars Australia and Executive Director of Policy & Research and Deputy CEO at the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. Andrew is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has over a decade of governance experience on Boards and committees in the NFP and tertiary-education sectors.
Andrew is passionate about contributing to good governance as a powerful enabler for great organisations and is a committed ally of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Dr Narawi Foley
BIO
As a proud Butchulla/Badtjala woman and medical doctor, I have built my career at the intersection of medicine, education, community and cultural leadership. I trained and worked as a paediatric registrar before moving into medical education and now serve as First Nations Health Lead at a new rural and regional medical school, where I design First Nations Health curriculum and assessment across all four years, help oversee community engagement with ACCHOs and Aboriginal Medical Services, and embed strengths-based, self-determination-focused approaches as foundations to how future doctors are trained.
I contribute to governance in establishing this school, including the Academic Board and Learning and Teaching Committee, and advocate for genuine First Peoples’ representation in institutional decision-making and accreditation. I recently completed the RACMA Leadership for Clinicians Program in its first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cohort and am undertaking a Master of Public Health.
Dr Annalyse Crane
BIO
Dr Crane is a Gamilaroi woman with family from Moree in NSW. She is a specialist GP, supervisor and practice owner in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire. Anna is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Sydney in 2011, and member of AIDA since 2008.
Her goal is to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into tertiary education and health careers. Education empowers people and changes lives. Sitting on the AIDA board is an opportunity to make a difference and work cohesively with peers and stakeholders.
Dr Nathan Passi
BIO
Dr Nathan Passi is a Torres Strait Islander doctor and dual Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine trainee. He currently works as a senior registrar in the Townsville University Hospital Emergency Department, in North Queensland.
A James Cook University medical graduate, Dr Passi has worked across regional, rural and remote Queensland, including Mount Isa, Palm Island, Mackay and Townsville. He is passionate about improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and advancing culturally safe healthcare systems.
Dr Passi is a proud descendant of the Passi family of Mer (Murray Island), connected to the landmark Mabo decision. He has held leadership and advocacy roles focused on Indigenous health, at a local and national level including serving on the ACEM Indigenous Health Committee, and for the Australian Medical Council. Through his work, he is committed to supporting the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors and strengthening Indigenous representation in medicine.
Dr Tanika Ridgeway
BIO
I am a proud Worimi woman, Senior Aboriginal Research Officer and Junior Doctor, with expertise spanning Indigenous-Led research, medical education, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical workforce development and clinical medicine. My leadership is grounded in community, culture and accountability to our people.
My governance experience began in community as a member of the Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council, where I saw first-hand the importance of strong governance, collective decision-making, financial accountability and organisations remaining answerable to the people they serve. I have carried these principles throughout my research, medical training and leadership roles, including as an AIDA Student Representative and NSW/ACT Regional Student Representative.
I bring strategic thinking, Indigenous-led research, advocacy, evidence translation and stakeholder engagement, with a willingness to learn, question systems and pathways, listen deeply, seek accountability and contribute respectfully to collective decisions.
Jennifer Gulson
BIO
I am a proud Aboriginal woman and fifth-year medical student at James Cook University, completing a combined MBBS and Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. I bring sustained experience in student representation, governance, advocacy, research and First Nations health equity.
Throughout my degree, I have served as the AIDA Queensland Representative and JCUMSA Indigenous Student Representative for four consecutive years, alongside roles including JERC Student Ambassador.
My commitment to First Nations medical education is reflected in my research and policy work. I am currently the Principal Investigator of research using yarning methodology to explore First Nations medical student success. I have also been a lead researcher and author on an AMSA policy update on First Nations health and medical education.
I have contributed to national advocacy, including co-authoring a panel at the 2025 AIDA National Conference and successfully advocating for policy change enabling preferential placement pre-allocation for cultural connection to Country at my university.
Our People
Behind AIDA is a team of people who bring a mix of experience, practical skills and a shared focus on making a real difference. From strategy through to delivery, each person plays a role in shaping outcomes that matter.
We’re a collaborative group that values clear thinking, accountability and a willingness to step in where needed. It’s not about titles, it’s about contribution and the impact we create together.
Phillip Saunders
AIDA CEO, Phillip Saunders, is a Bunganditj, Gunditjmara and Narungga man who has more than 25 years of experience spanning Aboriginal affairs, executive leadership, governance, law, health, justice and community engagement.
Phillip’s recent roles include Senior Consultant with Open Dialogue Engagement and CEO of Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute. At Tandanya, he led organisational reform, strengthened governance and supported the delivery of major events and community initiatives. He is also a current Director at social enterprise Junction Australia.
Paula Myott
Shannon Tobler-Williams
Nakkari Smith
Tania Sheward
Simone Hurley
Kelly Kildea
Jordan Darney
Dr Danielle Arabena
BIO
Dr Danielle Arabena is a proud Torres Strait Islander medical practitioner and a descendant of the Meriam peoples of the Torres Strait. She has joined AIDA as the Cultural Safety Medical Educator.
Dr Danielle brings a wealth of knowledge, passion, and experience to her role at AIDA through her experience as a Senior Medical Educator and the National Clinical Lead for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Training at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). She is also a former AIDA board member.
As a General Practitioner and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), Dr Arabena has a special interest in women’s health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and medical education. She is dedicated to embedding Indigenous knowledge systems into medical training and providing holistic, patient-centred care across all life stages, including menstruation, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and menopause.
Bianca 'Bee' Field
Joe Morgan
Bradley Davis
Samara Williams
Chanelle Martin
Michael Amos
Thomas Dening
Beatriz Cantero
Christine Howard
Amanda Richards-Satour
Theika Andrews
